Communities play a critical role in helping teacher candidates understand the social and historical aspects of community and their impact on schools, students and families, particularly in urban communities. Communities should be integral and equal partners in preparing teachers for today's diverse schools. This paper focuses on utilizing the…

This article is about spiritual development for early childhood Jewish education. Findings from a research study defines the spiritual development of young children as an integration of deep connections, basic dispositions (strengthened from experiences of wonderment, awe, joy, inner peace), and complex dispositions (displayed through acts of…

Individuals engaging in recreational pursuits, education, work environments, and many other institutional settings are likely to be separated by age. This common practice is often considered an optimal way to facilitate programs. However, the separation of age groups has created societal consequences. It has encouraged a fear of aging and promoted…

Teachers want to capitalize on their students' desire to to be virtually connected outside of the classroom and part of a participatory dialog shared with others interested in art and teaching. Blogging offers a way for students to connect with each other and maintain that connection across the miles of cornfields, wind-swept prairies, country…

This study examines the affordances of blogging on establishing communities of practice within an elementary teacher education program. Building upon the previous work with in-service teachers of Luehmann (2008), we examined pre-service teacher participation in an online community of practice where pre-service teachers, over the course of their…

With this article we intend to fill a large gap that exists in the field of educational research--examining the history of teaching. We chose a critical historical moment that initiated the great labour transformation in the exercise of the teaching profession. In this context, we investigated the pedagogical benefits introduced by the Portuguese…

As a reflection on pedagogy, this essay seeks to provide strategic tools for teaching Native American literature and culture to non-native students. My teaching philosophy is informed by the indigenous-centered, decolonial methodologies as defined by Devon Mihesuah who calls for "indigenizing" the academy by challenging the status quo…

Positive teacher-student relationships promote growth in students both academically and socially, but in today's ever-changing classrooms creating such positive relationships can be a challenge. This study attempts to look at the influences on teacher thinking and judgment when creating and maintaining relationships. This is done by examining the…

Joseph Campbell's Monomyth not only provides a well-proven pattern for successful storytelling, it may also help to guide teams and team leaders through the challenges of change and innovation processes. In project "HELD: Innovationsdramaturgie nach dem Heldenprinzip" researchers of the University of the Arts Berlin and the Berlin…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the development of preservice teachers' beliefs in regard to diversity concepts and issues. The current study finds a positive development in preservice teacher candidates' professional beliefs about diversity as shown through observations, interviews, and document analysis at the beginning and end of upper…

Driving behavior is a contributing factor in 85% of all traffic crashes; therefore, driver reeducation must be centered on increasing safe driving behavior. Because self-reflection strategies have been shown to change behavior, a study using a self-assessment tool was conducted with Virginia adult drivers mandated to complete a driver improvement…

Despite the research of the 20th and 21st centuries, the ability to sustain voice in our adolescent females continues to present a concern. This qualitative study in educational and literacy research uncovers an educational framework that can strengthen the voice of adolescent females by using non-traditional methods and female preferred learning…

This qualitative case study examined how middle school science teachers conducted collaborative inquiry and reflection about students' conceptual understanding, and how individual teachers in the middle school science group acted and made reflections in response to their collaborative inquiry. It also examined external influences that affected the…

Questioning techniques have historically been considered the measurement by which teachers challenge and gauge student learning. Much has been said about questioning strategies used by teachers; yet little is known about the strategies used by pre-service teachers, especially those that are working with English language learners. This study…

Special education teacher development is continually studied to determine best practices for improving teacher quality and promoting student learning. Video analysis is commonly included in teacher development targeting both teacher thinking and practice intended to improve learning opportunities for students. Positive research findings support…